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Sunday, April 12, 2009

My Double Encounter

I promised yesterday that I would begin to show you some of the wildlife, and a few other things, I found at the new nature preserve I just visited. Since I was assuming that I wouldn't find any life out there, I was really surprised at one of the very first things I saw.

Just before I was about to go around a corner on the trail, I saw something move very slightly in the distance in front of me. When I focused my eyes to the shape in the woods, I was startled to discover that it was a lone deer! Deer were one of the last things I expected to see out here, but I should have known better.

There is something I've been wondering. Why do deer think that a little tree can hide them? I don't know why I ask that, because it does seem to work. As I began to slowly look around, I discovered that, as usual, there was actually a whole herd of them, each one hidden behind their own little trees.

As I continued to watch the deer, I noticed the sound of rustling leaves right behind me. It was the sound of the movement of an animal. I didn't want to look away from the deer, but whatever was moving back there was very close to me. I had to tear my eyes away from the deer, and turn around to look.

What did I find back there behind me? As you can see in the picture, it was this pretty good sized garter snake. The camera actually saw the snake better than I did. I just happened to get lucky and photograph most of the snake.

When I turned around to look, the snake moved again. All I saw was the movement of the leaves over the top of this sneaky little beast. I knew right away that there was a snake there. I had to concentrate to see it at all. I thought it was in a slightly different place than where I found it.

I would swear that there might have been more than one of them. I first thought I saw one about six inches above this one. It was very hard to see in these leaves. The camera picked it up rather well. This snake was less than two feet away from me. Too close for me!

This is only a relatively harmless garter snake, but any snake can bite. This one was also over two feet long, which can be a little scary for anyone who is as close to a snake as I was. Even so, I took a closer shot so anyone could see the pattern a little better.

This section in the last picture is the only part I really saw with my eyes anyway. I never saw the head until I got home and looked at the picture. I'm surprised it didn't slither away. Maybe it thought it was hidden well enough. Or maybe it wanted a white rat for lunch! Just joking, I hope.

I must have been a little nervous around it, because I only got two photos of this little garter snake before I moved away. Later on the trail, I saw the same rustling of the leaves more than three other times. This nature preserve is literally crawling with snakes!

15 comments:

Fantastic photo of the adorable little deer! I have only seen a couple of them this year and have not been lucky enough to get a photo.

I suppose it is indeed warm enough for the snakes. I have not had one slither across my feet this year, but am always on the lookout. Garter Snakes don't bother me but I do get a little freaked out if they slither on my boots!

What a great adventure and a sure sign that spring is indeed here despite what the temperatures tell us.

my heart is beating fast just looking at the snake, though some snakes are harmless but somehow i have fear of them. but i really do love your last picture of the snake with the green plants sprouting on fallen brown leaves. just love the combination.

OOOOOOoooo, a snake???? I think I don't want to see any on my adventures. There aren't hardly any poisonous snakes in the U.P. but I just don't like seeing ANY...You are braver than I would be.I love seeing deer, on the other hand! Two fun things on the same trip..what are you? The Animal Whisperer???? Dr. Doolittle???

I like snakes... garter snakes won't bite unless they feel very threatened. Snakes are actually quite fragile. It's pretty easy to break their ribs and injure them badly. They can't heal any open wounds until the next time they shed, so if they get cut they are likely to die of infections.

Sharkbytes - I like them too, but I have to admit a little bit of an unreasonable fear that comes with inexperience, not much though. Still, like any other wild animal, I keep my hands off for both of our protection.

The Everyday Adventurer

Everyday and every day are commonly confused in English. There’s no difference in pronunciation, but using the wrong one when writing is a mistake in the everyday English language you use every day.

EverydayEveryday is an adjective that means commonplace, ordinary, or normal.

Example: These shoes are great for everyday wear.

Every DayEvery day means "each day."

Example: I go to the park every day.

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I Am The Everyday Adventurer

I am The Everyday Adventurer and I will take you on a journey through nature trails, local places, shops, bridges, parks, hiking, and other adventures. We'll get stranded on a deserted island, and find the way back to civilization. Learn what it's like to get caught in a winter blizzard. See photos of falling snow. A bridge to another world. Hidden rivers, and lakes. A creepy swamp. Wild animals, and strange plants. Who knows? You could discover your own everyday fun. This is a tour of the unknown and magical. We'll travel to Wonderland and back. You'll see the rabbit and the blue caterpillar. You'll even meet Alice. A trip through lost and hidden places. You'll see strange oddities that are rare and wondrous. How about a weird arcade of the bizarre? Or a look through time and history? It's all here. The world waits for you! So look around, and be amazed!